Ava Crowder
Ava Crowder is a young, attractive widow played by starring cast member Joelle Carter. Biography Background She is from Harlan County and was married to Bowman Crowder. He was an abusive husband and she used to take refuge with Ellstin Limehouse at the holler when she could not cope. She eventually shot him for continuing to get drunk and beat her. She pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced with parole. Later, she lets Boyd Crowder live in her house. At first she tries, with some degree of success, to forbid Boyd from returning to a life of crime. Later, she develops feelings for him and he reciprocates. The two start a relationship as Boyd resumes his business in crime. Like Raylan's aunt, Helen Givens, Ava is shown to be a very tough woman with very little intimidation of other people. After murdering Delroy in "Loose Ends" when he comes to Johnny's bar to retrieve Ellen May in order to keep the woman from being killed by him, she becomes the new owner of Audrey's and watches over the prostitutes. Season 1 In the first season, despite how tough Ava is, Ava appears to be the "damsel in distress" being kidnapped or held hostage several times. Ava's first appearance is in the first season premiere, "Fire In The Hole". Ava has recently shot her abusive husband, Bowman Crowder, while he was eating. Deputy US Marshal Raylan Givens goes to visit her, and she reveals to him that she had always had a crush on him. While Raylan is there, Dewey Crowe arrives. Raylan runs Dewey out of the house, only for him to go to his car and get a gun out of the trunk. Dewey is disarmed and forced to leave by Raylan. Later, Boyd manages to take Ava hostage as bait to get Raylan to go to her home. Raylan arrives to find him eating chicken and Boyd tells him to sit down. The two begin to talk but are interrupted when Ava walks in with a shotgun. Boyd aims at Ava, but is shot by Raylan. Ava also fires at Boyd but misses him. Boyd survives but is incarcerated for kidnapping Ava. Ava and Raylan then begin a sexual relationship, despite Chief Deputy Art Mullen warning Raylan not to sleep with Ava because she is a witness to Raylan shooting Boyd. Art discovers the relationship in "The Collection; while talking to Raylan at his motel, he peeks in to find Ava in his bed. Ava is kidnapped in "Blind Spot" as part of an attempt to kill Raylan by a Miami drug cartel. Raylan initially believed that the Crowders had put a hit on Ava. He later realized that he was the target after discovering that Harlan County Sheriff Hunter Mosley was corrupt. While being held hostage in a van by Red, Ava manages to break loose and strangle Red causing him to swerve off of the road. Boyd is released from prison because the sexual relationship between Ava and Raylan is exposed by David Vasquez. Vasquez advises Raylan to stay away from Ava. Raylan follows orders, even ignoring a phone call from Ava at the end of the episode. Ava realizes that Raylan has been avoiding her out of guilt over Boyd's release, which further upsets her. Even worse, a man named Hestler has been ordered to follow her around by Bo Crowder. She suspects that Hestler might try to kill her. Raylan breaks Hestler's trigger finger. Ava then ends her relationship with Raylan when she spots his ex-wife Winona Hawkins leaving his apartment in "Fathers and Sons". In the first season finale, "Bulletville", Ava is kidnapped by Bo in order to lure Raylan into a trap. Boyd tags along with Raylan, to avenge the killing of his "flock" by Bo earlier in the episode. Raylan and Boyd come to her rescue but Boyd is wounded by a sniper. Bo is killed by the same sniper. Season 2 Boyd has moved in with Ava to help her pay her bills. Ava first appears in "The Life Inside", treating Boyd's wounds after a brawl. Raylan suspects that the two are sleeping together, but Ava reassures him that Boyd is only helping her out with money. Ava has strict rules for Boyd living with her. Boyd manages to keep his word while foiling a mine heist. The scheme was supposed to leave Boyd dead and was planned by Kyle Easterly. Easterly recruited Boyd because of his explosives expertise but Boyd managed to turn the tables on Easterly and bring Ava a large sum of money. Ava lies to the police about Boyd's role in the heist at his request. Ava tells Boyd that he cannot live with her and continue his criminal activity. Boyd agrees to leave, but Ava embraces his criminal ways because she is in love with him. Boyd is now able to hold meetings at her house with her consent. Ava is shot in the left shoulder by Dickie Bennett in the season finale "Bloody Harlan". Boyd comes home to find her wounded, and goes after Dickie. Season 3 In the third season premiere, "The Gunfighter", Ava continues to embrace Boyd's criminality. She allows him to store the weed he seizes from the Bennett family in her house and shed. Ava arrives home to find Arlo Givens and Devil meeting marijuana distributor Rodney 'Hot Rod' Dunham to discuss selling him the weed. 'Hot Rod' refuses to buy the weed because it is rotting due to improper storage. Ava manages to settle the ensuing argument between Devil and 'Hot Rod', despite Devil's protests to stay out of it. 'Hot Rod' leaves and Arlo and Devil go for a drink, furious at Ava for stepping into their business. Ava visits Boyd in the Lexington Federal Detention Centre. He tells her to have them burn the weed because it is worthless. Ava cooks for Arlo and Devil and relays Boyd's instructions. Devil gets upset. Ava warns Devil that he can either do what Boyd says or it can go badly for him. Devil laughs it off saying "What are you gonna do? Spit in my food?" In response Ava whacks Devil in the face with a skillet, asserting her authority. In "Cut Ties" Boyd is transferred to Trumbull Correctional Institute and then released. Ava goes to collect him. He tells her that he managed to get to Dickie Bennett in solitary confinement and that Ellstin Limehouse is holding the Bennett fortune for Dickie. In "Harlan Roulette Ava visits Ellstin Limehouse at the holler. He cooks barbeque and pontificates on its virtues. He says that despite its quality he knows that Ava has come for something else. She admits that he is right, he respectfully removes his hat and says that it is nice to see her, whatever the reason. She responds in kind and he says that she is looking well. She admits that she is better than when they last saw one another; she had taken refuge at the holler to avoid her abusive ex-husband Bowman Crowder. Limehouse notes that she is favouring her left shoulder. She counters that it was not Bowman and he says that he knows that she shot and killed Bowman at the dinner table. Ava jokes that it was a shame to waste the ham she had cooked. Limehouse says he thought the shame was that he would not see her at the holler any more. He asks if she has a new boyfriend and she says that is why she came. Limehouse drives Ava back out to the bridge into the holler, accompanied by his henchman and Avant, both armed. He is met by Boyd Crowder, Arlo Givens and Devil on the bridge, similarly equipped. Limehouse and Boyd meet in the middle of the bridge and Ava says that she will leave them to talk. Boyd proposes killing Dickie and splitting the money but Limehouse declines. He brings up the Bennett weed and Boyd realizes that it still has not been burned. Boyd walks back to the car. He punches Devil for failing to follow his instruction to burn the weed and warns him to follow orders from Ava. He says the only reason that Arlo does not get the same is because he is an old man. Boyd sells the weed to Limehouse for approximately $5000 and holds a meeting at Arlo's house. Boyd tells the others that his father (Bo Crowder) considered himself a Harlan criminal but became a middleman for Miami and Frankfurt. Boyd says that Bo’s association with outsiders cost him his life and that he will not repeat his father’s mistakes. He says that he plans to take control of every aspect of crime in Harlan encompassing protection rackets, robbery, illegal gambling and drug distribution. He tells his crew that they will be meticulous and clean. He warns that there will be no more smash and grabs and no more bad decisions. He says that they will give up Bo’s prostitution business both because Ava dislikes it and because it is untenable in the recession. Arlo says that Boyd has made a fine speech but that they will need more men. Boyd claims to have started recruiting and says that for today they are going to reclaim some Crowder property. Later, he takes Arlo and Devil and forcibly takes possession of Johnny Crowder's old bar. Johnny meets him there with two new recruits, Rip and Jimmy. In "Thick as Mud", she visits Boyd at the bar. Boyd expresses regret for being forced to kill Devil. Ava shows Boyd her chest wound that she received from Dickie Bennett. Boyd tells her that Dickie will pay for that, and she prompts Boyd to show her his wound. Ava tells him that it's the price they pay for the life they live, and also tells him that whatever Boyd decides to do, she will be right there with him. Season 4 Relationships *Raylan Givens: Former lover (Season 1), former high school crush, Deputy US Marshal *Boyd Crowder: Lover (Season 2 onwards), former brother-in-law *Bowman Crowder: Former husband, murder victim *Johnny Crowder: Cousin-in-law, Criminal associate *Devil: Criminal associate (deceased) *Arlo Givens: Criminal associate *Bo Crowder: Former father-in-law (deceased) *Ellstin Limehouse: Friend *Delroy: Murder victim *Ellen May: Protectee Memorable Quotes *"It was then that I decided that he was never going to beat me again." to Raylan speaking about Bowman Crowder in "Fire In The Hole" Trivia *Ava has the highest amount of episodic appearances out of any female character in Justified. Appearances Image Gallery Category:Season 1 Characters Category:Season 2 Characters Category:Season 3 Characters Category:Season 4 Characters Category:Characters Category:Starring Characters Category:Season 2 antagonists Category:Season 3 antagonists Category:Murderers